The biggest question is how long do you plan to own it for? Do you plan to keep it outside of the factory/dealer warranty period?

The Subaru system is so new, the jury is out in regards to reliability.

Comparing the previous generation Forester Hybrids to the competition, the Forester did not do well. The MPG were some of the lowest in the segment and that was with a 2.0 Litre engine, not the bigger 2.5 Litre engine in the newer system.

Do you need the Subaru AWD system? If not, I would be looking at the Toyota equivalent. They've been making Hybrids since 2003ish. They've figured out the issues and know what they're doing.

 

Errrr... "previous generation Forester Hybrid?" Pretty sure the Forester Hybrid has not been offered in the US before.

 

According to the dealer service manager where I get my pickup serviced, the most brands that arrive at the dealership on the back of a tow truck are Kias and Jeeps

 

That doesn't sound wrong

 

I personally wouldn’t own a Kia. That being said if you are wanting hybrid and don’t need the Subaru AWD, I agree with @TMX that a Toyota hybrid might suit you better.

 

FYI the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid shares the same powertrain and is built in the same factory as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. It should have a more premium interior and be more likely to get discounts compared to the yota

 

Outside of Denver, Seattle or Portland nobody steals Foresters. Kias get broken into even when equipped with immobilizers because all a potential thief sees is a Kia badge. If they can't steal the car, they steal the contents.

 

After thinking about that for a minute or two, I suspect there’s some truth to that. After all, the majority of car thieves aren’t the type to do prior research on particular models to steal… if the opportunity presents itself…

 

Depends what you want. A car that is good off-road, or one that is better on gas mileage?

 

@TMX is correct. The Corolla Cross is built alongside the CX-50 in Alabama. RAV4 Hybrids are built in the US and Japan, the Prime is built in Japan.

 

For us in Canada, the Rav 4 is built in Ontario, the Rav system is a two wheel drive, with two electric motors that only engage when needed.
Some of the draw backs for me when test driving, didn't like that lag time waiting for wheels sensors to pickup on wheel slip and engage the electric motors ( not a true AWD),that's where the small increase in mpg is gained vs Forester system.

Subaru maintains the AWD that we have all come to love and enjoy, adds electric motor(s) for city-highway assist ( as I understand it) The biggest difference this time around is since Toyota has bought into Subaru, we are able to access the many years of Hybrid, PHEV, EV research and development they have already done ( WIN-Win ) for Subaru. So as I understand it Forester will be using a version of the Prius system to run in the forester,Im still working with my selling dealer to gather more information as it becomes available, will post here as it comes to me.

But I think this will be the next logical step for those of us, who want to dip out toes in the transition from ICE -- Hybrid, this IMHO is the future, it would be nice to get governments onboard with rebates to help all of us make the transition smoother.

Cheers

Trout

 

My girlfriend recently bought a RAV4 Hybrid. My impression of the car is pretty good, although my 2022 Forester Wilderness has a better "feel" in terms of workmanship and materials in the cabin. But I do know that mechanics- and engine-wise, Toyota has a stellar reputation. She gets 45 miles to the gallon. If I were in the market for a hybrid right now, I would look at the RAV4 first before anything else. To me, the RAV4 and the Forester are virtually in the same league in terms of quality and capability. I don't consider the KIA Sportage to be in the same league.

 

As a Kia and Subaru owner... go with the Subaru. Subaru hybrid systems are part of the shared engineering from Toyota, who have been making hybrids longer than anyone. Our 2012 Sorento has been a sturdy car, for sure (not as fun, but at 250K miles, it's pretty dang reliable).

But if you're looking at hybrids, you definitely want a Toyota-designed system.

 

The fit and finish was horrific in the Kia rental we had for a couple of days. Super thin and flimsy. Did not feel sturdy at all. Seats, door panels, headliner, dash board, steering wheel stalks. All of it just felt like it was going to break at any second!

My Forester limited is solid. Feels and drives great. Seats are super comfy!

 

I just got a subaru Forester hybrid touring. So far it seems like it is getting decent gas mileage, but car indicates in 20's not 30's but less than half of the first full tank, so I am reserving my judgement here. I drive mostly in the I versus S sport. As for the Forester vs. Rav4- The forester has considerably more passenger volume space than a Rav 4. The rav has slightly more storage in the trunk with second seat up, but I believe it is Sub is bigger when the second seat is folded down. Aside from the Symmetrical AWD, the Sub has less horsepower- new RAV 4 has 230, and 320 in the plug-in hybrid vs. Sub with 194 horsepower and 199 pounds of torque. So, the RAV will win to 60 no questions, but the additional few horses in the Sub on the hybrid is definitely a changer- much zippier off the line than my wife's 2019 outback with the same 2.5 non-turbo. The hybrid system on the Forester is directly from Toyota, but modified by Sub to work with the symmetrical AWD and with the boxer engine- neither of which the Rav has. The Sub rides better- feels bigger- and I dare say, feels more controllable than the RAV. The screen is larger- there are pros and cons to each- having driven only subs since 2017- it would take a lot to make me switch. I wish the Forester touring had the better grade leather found in the Outback (Nappa) and the thigh extender on the bottom seat cushion. Strikingly missing is a shelf or somewhere to put change other than behind the storage in the middle, but that is not covered, or in the storage bin- there is no place else. The wireless phone charger is too big- if you don't place you phone down exactly right or it moves, it stops charging, verse the added wireless I had in my 22 outback, my iphone 15 max snuggly fit it to charge. I do like the way apple car play shows up on the screen- better guys. My wife says the passenger seat does not go down low enough to be comfortable. Huge back seat, and protectors for side of the trunk, back seat and floor of trunk are nice. The swipe of foot to open and close with audible warning it is closing is better than the previous swipe under the logo. These are my thoughts.

 

Paragraphs are your friend

Blocks of text like that will largely be ignored by most of the audience

 

I just got a subaru Forester hybrid touring. So far it seems like it is getting decent gas mileage, but car indicates in 20's not 30's...

I am getting consistently 21-23 mpg on a 2010 turbo 2.5 (notoriously the most gas-guzzling version). If I stick to highways, I can get 24-26 on longer trips! I hope your mpg gets better than that with a hybrid. A lot of it has to do with driving style; if you have a heavy foot, it'll get you right in the gas tank/wallet LOL.

 

Hybrids with Toyota's system are designed to get better city mileage, as they start and stop in EV mode and use regenerative braking to recover the power used to get the vehicle moving, so they act like an EV in the city with the engine running more as a battery charger.

Out on the highway, they don't have as much advantage over an ICE powered car as the engine is producing the energy to keep the car at speed, but Toyota's engines as well as the Subaru hybrid run on the Atkinson cycle rather than the Otto cycle, which is more fuel efficient, with the trade off of less power that gets supplanted with the electrics for high demand.

 

Consumer Reports recommends the Kia but notes that it only scores 47 on reliability. The Auto Issue noted that the hybrid battery was a problem. They do have that killer warranty though